1. Technical Field
This invention relates to electrical connector assemblies, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly for lockably securing a terminal member such that an external force applied to the terminal member will not cause the terminal member to become dislodged or otherwise disengaged from the connector assembly, thereby causing a break in electrical connection between the terminal member and an external terminal element.
2. Discussion
Electrical connector assemblies are used in a wide variety of applications, and particularly in automotive applications, where it is necessary to electrically interconnect a plurality of electrical cables to perform various functions. One drawback with many prior developed electrical connectors, however, is their inability to firmly secure a terminal member therein when the terminal member is subjected to a force, such as a pulling force, from an electrical conductor secured to the terminal member. In such instances, the movement of the terminal member within the connector may cause a temporary break in the electrical contact between the terminal member and another terminal blade inserted within the terminal member. More severe pulling forces on the terminal member may cause the member to be partially or completely dislodged from the connector body. In either event, even a momentary break in the electrical connection between the terminal member within the connector and a terminal blade engaged with the terminal member may result in spurious operation of an electrically driven device or an electrical circuit associated with the connector.
Prior developed connector assemblies have attempted to address the above described problems by incorporating an additional member into an electrical connector assembly which is engaged with the assembly so as to more positively lock the terminal member within the connector body of the connector assembly. These attempts have provided other drawbacks, however, in that the external members have projected into the openings in the terminal body into which the terminal members are inserted, thus making insertion of the terminal members during assembly more difficult.
Still another drawback of prior developed connector assemblies is the inability to consistently determine if the terminal member is fully seated within the connector assembly. Prior attempts to incorporate some form of stuffer member have been met with problems in that a terminal member which is not fully seated within a connector body will not allow the stuffer member to be coupled to the connector body as the stuffer will not be in proper alignment to interengage the terminal member. Thus, even one terminal member which is unseated to a small degree can impede coupling of the stuffer member, thus requiring all of the terminal members to be re-checked and the mis-positioned terminal member to be re-seated.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly which more securely holds a terminal member therewithin when the terminal member is subjected to external pulling or pushing forces by an electrical conductor electrically secured to the terminal member.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly having an external member which may be lockably engaged with a connector body of the electrical connector assembly to help maintain a terminal member firmly seated within the connector body.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly having an independent terminal stuffing member which may be lockably engaged with a connector body of the assembly to firmly maintain a terminal member seated within the connector body in spite of external pushing or pulling forces exerted on the terminal member by a conductor secured thereto or an external terminal blade.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a terminal stuffer for an electrical connector assembly which, when partially inserted into the connector assembly, does not interfere with insertion of a terminal member into a terminal receiving opening in a connector body of the assembly, and consequently does not increase the force required to physically insert the terminal member into the connector body during assembly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly having an independent terminal stuffer member which may be lockably engaged to a connector body of the assembly such that the terminal stuffer member is not readily disengageable from the connector body once coupled to the connector body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly having a terminal stuffer member which operates to cause one or more terminal members which are not completely seated within a connector body of the assembly to be properly seated within the connector body as the terminal stuffer member is urged into locking engagement with the connector body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly having an external terminal stuffer member which may be constructed from widely available materials, such as plastic, to form a relatively low cost electrical connector assembly particularly well suited to automotive application.